Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-HammelMembers of the Independent Democratic Conference, from left, state Sens. David Valesky of Syracuse, Jeffrey Klein of the Bronx/Westchester, Diane Savino and David Carlucci of Rockland County, meet with the Advance Editorial Board.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Four dissident state Senate Democrats, including the North Shore's Diane Savino, who a year ago broke with their scandal-plagued leaders and formed their own coalition, say their mutiny has paid dividends for New Yorkers, and they are pledging to do more in 2012.

But some of their goals could complicate things legislatively and in the fall elections.

The Independent Democratic Conference -- which also includes David Valesky of Syracuse, Jeffrey Klein of the Bronx/Westchester and David Carlucci of Rockland County -- is celebrating its first anniversary with a fundraiser and a round of media visits.

Ms. Savino (D-North Shore/Brooklyn) said the group's roots lie in the "two years of turmoil" that followed after Democrats took control of the Senate in 2008.

The period was marked by conference leadership battles, allegiance-switching and a government standstill that tarred all lawmakers.

"We were sick and tired of being a national embarrassment," said Valesky.

The dissidents broke with Dems after the GOP retook control of the Senate in 2010. They sometimes vote with the Republican majority, which has rewarded them with committee chairs.

But Ms. Savino said the goal of the movement is restore voter trust and forge a "post-partisan" relationship with voters.

The independent conference doesn't attend closed-door caucuses with either party and doesn't sit with Democrats in the chamber. Instead, the four members sit nearer the Republicans, where a stronger alliance is building.

The bloc adds another potential hurdle for Democrats to muster enough votes to pass legislation and can allow the Republican majority to pass bills without a unanimous party vote.

One of the group's key accomplishments, according to Ms. Savino, has been the passage of 63 bills, 33 of which have been signed into law, even though they are in the minority.

"We were able to step back from the hyper-partisanship," she said. "Could that happen in the Assembly right now? Probably not."

Some of the credit also goes to Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who had the dissidents rise and take a bow during his State of the State speech this week.

"He understood that he had to govern in a non-partisan fashion," said Klein.

The group shares many goals with Cuomo, and said Cuomo has picked up on elements of some of its earlier proposals, including the widely praised tax-reform package, ethics reform and same-sex marriage.

Klein said the group also worked to exempt private schools from the onerous MTA tax.

"I think we did have an influence," said Klein, who is also dating Ms. Savino.

The group this year will look at prescription drug abuse, a major problem on the Island, as well as identifying government waste and making it easier for companies to do business in New York.

The conference also seeks better protection for consumers in foreclosures and preservation of women's rights in abortions and birth control.

Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg said that given the close balance of power in the Senate -- Republicans hold a 32-30 majority -- the independent Democrats "can certainly provide some flexibility for the Senate-majority Republicans on tight votes."

"They have to be careful, however, not to overplay their hand, because nobody knows what the balance of power will look like in the Senate one short year from now," he said.

The group is also looking to increase its membership, with Klein saying that some of its fundraising money will go not only to defend their own seats but perhaps to primary other members of the Democratic establishment.